New research partnerships

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) has announced $2.7 million in funding for two partnership projects at the University of Manitoba. Professor Peter Kulchyski (Native Studies) will lead a team of researchers from Manitoba, across Canada, and New York on a seven-year journey to build a Canadian Consortium for Performance and Politics in the Americas.

Kulchyski’s project will receive $2.5 million over the next seven years.

“This project involves a ‘ground up’ engagement, linking scholars, artists and human rights activists interested in questions of culture, human rights and politics through the lens of performance studies,” says Kulchyski. “The objective is to develop a network of Canadian based scholars, linking them to an existing, prestigious network connected through the Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics at NYU.”

Another team of researchers led by professor Karen Busby in the Faculty of Law received a Partnership Development Grant ($200,000 over three years) for the project, “The right to clean water in First Nations: the most precious gift.”

Partners include the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, Brock University, the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources, the Public Interest Law Centre, Amnesty International Canada and professor Melanie O’Gorman and Danielle Gaucher at the University of Winnipeg.

“The purpose of the Partnership Grant programs is to develop new, strong partnerships to solve the complex problems facing us today and to build upon established partnerships that demonstrate the strength that working together provides to find real solutions,” says Digvir Jayas, vice-president (research and international) and Distinguished Professor at the University of Manitoba. “The teams that are recipients of this funding announced by SSHRC exemplify the spirit and commitment needed to develop and maintain long-lasting partnerships.”

Another $1,085,000 will fund projects by 35 graduate students through CGS master’s and doctoral scholarships. The scholarships support students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities.

“Scholarships support our students in their learning endeavours,” said John (Jay) Doering, vice-provost (graduate education) and dean of graduate studies. “Our students are tomorrow’s researchers and this support will put them on a road to realizing the transformative nature of research and education at the University of Manitoba.”

SSHRC is the federal agency that promotes and supports postsecondary research and training in the humanities and social sciences.

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